Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Moving on...spiritually

One aspect we admire of those “Heroes of the Faith,” is the response they had to increasingly difficult circumstances in their lives.  The result of their decisions was a stronger faith in God and a higher degree of influence on the people around them.  They became leaders. 
Read:  Genesis 15:1-6, 17:1-8, 18:9-15 and 21:1-7.   

1.        What did God promise Abraham and what was the desire of Abraham’s heart?

2.       What very real and physical obstacle stood in the way of God’s promise and Abraham’s dream?

3.       Abraham had a lot of questions for God.  His questions revealed some intellectual doubt, but Abraham always acted in faith.  What are some of the first questions you had regarding faith in Jesus Christ?

4.       God’s faithfulness in the past was the basis for Abraham’s trust in God and the expansion of his faith.  Can you name some ways God has been faithful to you in the past? 

5.       Have you ever acted in faith, even though you had some doubts?  What was the outcome?

6.       How has God’s faithfulness caused your faith to grow?

7.       We know from the Scriptures (Genesis 16:16) that Abraham was younger than eighty-six when God first made His promises to Abraham.  Abraham was one-hundred years old when Isaac, the son of promise, was born (Genesis 21:5).  Fourteen years to wait for a child would be difficult in what we commonly think of as “the child bearing years.”  Can you imagine what it must have felt like at Abraham’s age?  How do you think Abraham continued to believe God’s promise through that long time until His promise was fulfilled?

8.       What would it be like to be a friend of Abraham?  How would he influence you?

9.       Do you have an “Abraham” in your life?  That is, is there someone who has faced trial after trial but has responded in a stronger faith in God through each circumstance?  How has their faith influenced yours?

10.   In Life Groups we commit to building relationships with people who are on a faith journey with Christ.  You may or may not know the others in your group in the beginning, but as you study God’s Word and pray together you will find that the sense of community will encourage your faith.   What kind of “blessing of faith,” (example:  may you see an answer to prayer this week) would you like to give this group today?